


Dark Angel • Death Note

by nogitsunechey (animechey)



Category: Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-21
Updated: 2019-03-21
Packaged: 2019-11-26 22:45:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 11,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18186623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animechey/pseuds/nogitsunechey
Summary: Light Yagami. Smart. Brave. Cunning. Quick witted. He is all these things. The one thing that does not come to mind when people see him is ‘killer’. Murderer. Saviour. Kira. He is also all these things, but he is making the world a better place.At the age of twenty-three, he became head of the Japanese Task Force, and, later that year, was discovered to be the infamous Kira and was gunned down by one of his associates; the one he called a friend.Days later, he ends up in the Shinigami Realm and is offered the chance to become a God of Death and work alongside a friend from another life, as well as his Shinigami from when he was Human - Ryuk.© Chey Eveleigh | 2018





	1. 01 • Gods of Death and Apples

The last thing I remember is the frigid temperature of the metal staircase beneath my back and the biting pain from the bullets that had been pumped into my flesh. Blunt, steeped edges of the steps were digging awkwardly into my back, probably sending pain through my being, but the bullet wounds would be cancelling out the minute pain with waves of their own. Other than the pain, I could feel nothing. It was all I knew.

Right now, the pain is nowhere to be found, and so am I. I’m in the middle of nowhere; a plane of emptiness and dust with no beings in sight. There’s no wind; no air, but I am still breathing. There’s a dry taste in my mouth and a strange texture that reminds me of sand, but why? There has to be a reason that I am in this barren wasteland. In all my twenty-three years of life, I never knew anything to be without a reason, and surely this cannot be any different.

This can neither be Heaven or Hell due to my having used the Death Note. ‘A person that uses the Death Note can go to neither Heaven nor Hell for all eternity’. That’s the rule, and I knew that from the word go. As soon as Ryuk told me, I was prepared for that fact, and I believed that, after I died, everything would be an endless expanse of darkness without formation or life. I most certainly did not believe that I would come to a plane of barren wasteland.

“Hey, Light.” The familiar, raspy voice makes me smirk. “Welcome to the Shinigami Realm.”

I turn around and grin up at my former friend, and God of Death. “Ryuk. Nice to see you.”

“You too. Come with me. We have some things to talk about.”

“Why can’t we just discuss them here?”

“The Shinigami King doesn’t leave his throne. Sorry, Light.”

“Fair enough. Let’s go then.”

The barren wasteland around us shortly becomes lumped with old structures that have fallen to the ground in rubble due to the disbelief Humans have in the Shinigami these days. The fact that some structures are still standing conveys that many Humans still believe in the Gods of Death. It’s dilapidated and just looking at it makes me sick with rage. The Shinigami are strong beings that deserve to be acknowledged and returned to their former glory no matter the cost. They have done much for this world, and the world forgot them in return.

Out of the rubble, there is a structure still remaining, but it is not in its former glory. There are fissures and chunks broken from the magnificent building. It’s aura is of pure, unadulterated power, and it demands your attention without lifting a finger. The once brilliant colours are almost faded beyond recognition, but they are resonating in my mind, the entire building appearing to be in its prime.

“Can you see it, Light Yagami?” a powerful, resonating voice asks. The voice makes me quake in my shoes, and I find myself lowering my head in reverence without thinking about it. “You can. This building is the palace of the Shinigami Realm, and look at its state; falling apart by the day.”

In the silence that follows, not even Ryuk dares to say a word.

“This building, can you see what it used to look like, Light Yagami?”

“Yes, sir,” I find myself replying, my voice unusually submissive. “It’s amazing.”

“Do you know why you are here, Light Yagami?”

“No, sir.”

“During having ownership of a Death Note, you succeeded in killing hundreds of Humans. That is a feat worthy of a God of Death, and, as such, you have been given an opportunity that none of your brethren have before you - the opportunity to become a God of Death.”

In my shock, my head instinctively snaps up to look at the being offering a second chance at life. The being in front of me is more Human than I thought they would be. Unruly apple red hair and glowing red eyes, pale skin splotched with dark patches here and there, and seemingly Human attire. The only thing strange about them is that the dark patches covering their skin is serpentine scales that glimmer in the dull light of the Shinigami Realm. Well, other than the giant bat-like wings that are sprouting from their shoulder blades, they are relatively Human.

The being grins at me, baring a set of undeniably sharp teeth, jagged on one side as if made for ripping meat from the bones of beasts. “Do you see what this world does to you, Light Yagami? For a Human who becomes a God of Death, your Fate is to become something that resembles them. That is the destiny for all those who write as many names in the Death Note as you and I, and there is no escaping it. That is, unless, you decline my offer.”

Ryuk chuckles beside me. “What do you want to do, Light?”

“You’re curious, are you not?” The former Human stands and walks over to me, revealing that they are not much taller than I. “You want to know why I look so much like you.”

“Now that you mention it, I do see the family resemblance. Light, you never told me you had a family member become a Shinigami.”

“He doesn’t remember me. None of them do, and that’s alright. I was never counted as a part of our family, Ryuk. Light and I grew up together in another life. That’s how I know exactly what he is thinking right now, and how I know that he is going to take me up on my offer.”

He says it with so much confidence that it makes shivers travel down my spine, a strange sensation pooling in my abdomen. Watching as his brilliant red eyes morph into a warm brown, a gasp rips its way from my lips. He is so familiar, and his name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t manage to remember it. His grin grows at my actions and his raises his hand, revealing sharp black nails. He places the pad of his pointer finger between my eyes and a strange feeling washes over me, memories flooding through my mind and causing a cry of surprise to escape me.

A boy.

He is dressed in older style clothing, but not old enough to be before the Edo Period; it appears to be late Edo, or early Meiji Period style clothing. His pale skin is flushed with heat, a giant grin on his face and panting breaths leaving him. A katana and a short sword are on his right side, showing his status as a samurai. In the place of the red hair of his present day self, unruly deep burgundy hair is pulled back away from his face.

“Raito,” I breathe, causing the Shinigami King before me to smile. “You became a Shinigami after everything we did.”

Raito nods, removing his finger from my head. “Yes, and I made sure you were given a second chance for life as a Human. I never would have dreamed that you would become a Death Note user once again, or have Ryuk with you again.”

I scoff and stare at the Shinigami beside me. “That’s why you were never surprised at anything I ever did. You knew what I was like.”

Ryuk shrugs, giving me a sideways look. “As I said before, I am not on your side or theirs, Light. I didn’t have to tell you anything.”

“Light,” Raito’s formerly kind voice has returned to the voice I first heard when I entered the building, and it drags my eyes back to him. “What are you going to decide? Join the ranks of the Shinigami, or go into the Oblivion and exist as nothing for all eternity?”

I stare at him. “If you know my answer, why are you asking me this?”

“You have to be the one to say it.”

“Very well. I, Light Yagami, take you, the Shinigami King, up on your offer for me to become a Shinigami.”

“As I thought.” Raito smiles and then walks back to the throne, sitting down and leaning his head against his fist. “You will be given two Death Notes, and the ability to change forms between your Human and Shinigami forms. Be warned, Light, in your Human form, all Humans will be able to see you. I must also warn you that those who knew you are still living, and that they will not take lightly to your return after all you have done.”

The faces of my former friends rush through my mind and I grimace. “They won’t be able to kill me again, will they?”

“You’re a Shinigami, Light,” Ryuk informs. “You can’t be hurt by worldly objects.”

Raito rolls his eyes. “Go get a Human, Light. You too, Ryuk. Bring me back some apples when you decide to return.”


	2. 02 • Duties of Gods of Death and Familiar Faces

The angel Virgil said that “the descent into hell is easy”. I’m not sure how well that fits to my situation at the moment, but it is the first quote that appears in my mind. The portal to the Human Realm is swirling below Ryuk and myself, and it does not look like fun to just jump through. Looking over at Ryuk, I see his leathery, feathered wings spread out behind him, falling down to brush the ground beneath us. He makes it seem so easy to be a Shinigami, but I am already having trouble summoning my wings.

“Just imagine them on your back,” Ryuk teases, blatantly amused with my struggle. “Come on, Light. It’s not that hard.”

I glare at my friend. “I’m new at this, and it’s taking me a while to get used to it, alright? Give me a break.”

“Sure thing, princess. Take all the time in the world.”

I huff in annoyance and then let out a sigh, the tension in my body draining away. Closing my eyes, I picture a pair of charcoal wings sprouting from just between my shoulder blades and arching behind me. Every little detail of the wings carves themselves into my mind; the size, the shape, and even the giant feathers. The beauty astounds me and I almost lose the image. Almost instantly, a weight is added to my back and my eyes fly open, a deep charcoal colour filling the edges of my vision.

Looking over my shoulder, my eyes widen considerably. A pair of black angel wings adorn my back and reach down to the ground, brushing against the dirt and sand.

Ryuk makes a strange sound that is most likely his version of a whistle. “Nice, Light. I never knew you had a feminine side.”

Ignoring my former God of Death, I stretch my wings out and launch myself into the swirling vortex below, not looking behind me at the dilapidated world I am leaving behind for an unknown amount of time. A ‘whoop’ sounds and I know that Ryuk is following me, obviously excited to be returning to the Human Realm to experience how ‘interesting’ Humans can be. In my opinion, they’re actually not that interesting.

Matsuda and Moji are still alive, and I am hoping that Misa is too. She is an extremist, and that means she may not be alive after hearing about my death. She did say that she wouldn’t live in a world without me, but that was several years ago, and back when both myself and her had no memory of being the Kira and the Second Kira. Still, there is no guarantee that she would go back on what she said all those years ago, or that she would follow through on her word. She is unpredictable, and that is what I am counting on. She does not deserve to die.

Moments later, I am surrounded by white and grey. Clouds. I am in the Human Realm once again, and it feels no different than before. Sprawled out below me is the Kanto Region; my old home. Right now, it’s night, but I am unsure what day it is. Not far behind me, Ryuk follows as I dive to the ground, maneuvering my way around the high-rise buildings without fear of being seen.

Almost too soon, I land, the other God of Death landing right beside me. I wander over to the newspaper stand and check the date. It’s only been a day since I died, and that means there is no way that my funeral has occurred just yet - and that Misa should still be alive. Without a glance at Ryuk, I take off into the night, the cool air rushing past me as I speed toward Misa’s and my apartment.

The lights are on, and that’s a good sign. Landing on the balcony outside, I peer into the bedroom to find the blonde model laying on the queen-sized bed. Her closed eyes are red and puffy, a sure sign that she has been crying. Beside her are a box of tissues, and scattered around her are crumpled up tissues that have already been used. Moving my gaze around the room, I see that it has all been torn apart.

“Oh, Misa,” I say, reappearing on the other side of the sliding door. “I am sorry for all of this.” Taking out my second Death Note, I lay it on the bed beside her. “Take this, and you’ll remember everything, and I’ll be with you again.”

She doesn’t stir at my words, and that’s because she cannot hear me in her slumber.

“Light,” Ryuk says, his gravelly voice filling the silence. “Are you sure about making Misa the Second Kira again?”

“Of course, Ryuk,” I say, smirking and looking over at my companion. “She is willing to do anything for me, and I doubt that will change just because I am dead. I am still myself after all; I am still Kira.”

“Good point.”

“Go see if Mikami is still alive. We could use him too.”

“Sure thing, Light.”

Ryuk disappears in a flurry of leathery feathers and my eyes return to the innocent appearing blonde on the bed. She begins to stir as if she can feel my eyes staring down at her, and a larger smirk works its way on to my face. Everything is already going to plan, and Misa becoming the Second Kira again is a crucial part of the plan - Mikami becoming the Third Kira again is also important, but not as much. There is only so much a Kira fanatic can do for my plan.

Misa’s eyes crack open and she yawns, pushing herself back into a sitting position on the bed. She rubs her eyes and then looks around the room, her eyes finally landing on the Death Note. Frowning, she picks it up and turns it over, scanning the book. Not even a second later, her eyes go wide and her lips part in a silent scream, her memories rushing back to her. Perching on my old desk chair, I prop my head up on my elbow and stare around the familiar room.

“Light?” Misa’s small voice rasps in the silence. “Light, is that you?”

I look over at her, smirking. “Of course it is. Who else would it be?”

“Light!”

Misa launches herself off the bed and into my arms, her frail arms encircling me and holding onto me tightly as if I am going to vanish again. Her body quakes against mine as she begins to sob, tears falling from her watery brown eyes and soaking my white shirt, causing the material to suction to my skin. The thing that ruins the moment of our reunion, is the sound of someone knocking on the door.

Misa sniffles and forces herself away from me, plucking a tissue from the box and walking to the door, blowing her nose and drying her tears as she goes. I remain sitting on my desk chair as she opens the door, a familiar voice flowing into the apartment. Matsuda. I go rigid and Raito’s words float into my mind; “Be warned, Light, in your Human form, all Humans will be able to see and hear you.”

Cursing under my breath, I figure that now is a good time to see if I can change into my Shinigami form. Without a second thought, I relax my body and close my eyes, an image of a bone-monster appearing in my mind. The skull of an animal as my head, empty eye sockets except for the glowing red of my Eyes; a red strip of material tied around my head that resembles my old school tie; spiky grey hair that is seemingly insignificant; torn clothes that consist of tan pants, an off-white shirt, a pair of black boots, and a brown-grey jacket; and a brown satchel for some reason. Opening my eyes, I look into the mirror to find the monster staring back at me. My wings are gone, and that’s a good thing. They would not suit this form.

Only seconds after I change form, Misa walks back into the room, followed by a sad looking Matsuda. There are bags underneath his eyes, dark and seemingly endless, and his face is drawn and pale. His clothes are dishevelled, and his hair is a mess. This appearance is telling me that he is going through a tough time, and that it is not going to be letting up any time soon. This is the first time I have ever seen him unhappy, and it does not suit him.

Misa’s eyes widen slightly when she sees me, but she doesn’t say anything. All she does is sit on the bed and look at Matsuda. “What’s the matter, Matsu?”

Matsuda sighs, squeezing his eyes shut for a moment before reopening them. “Misa, I don’t know how to say this, but, I am going to start by saying that I am sorry.”

“What are you apologising for?”

“I... I am the one that killed Light.”

Misa half looks over at me with wide eyes, as if to say ‘is he telling the truth?’.

I nod slightly. “He did. I’m not holding it against him though. He did it because he thought it was the right thing to do. Don’t be mad at him, a few years back he said that he agreed with what I was doing.”

“Matsu, Light told me something before he died. He told me you once said that you thought what Kira was doing was a good thing; that it was right. Is that true?”

Matsuda flinches, but nods nonetheless. “I did, and I still feel that way. That’s why I feel so bad about what I did to him.” He buries his face into his hands and slides down the wall. “I just want to tell him how sorry I am, and beg for him to forgive me.”

“You can do that.”

My gaze flies to Misa as she stands, carrying the Death Note over to Matsuda. Having half a mind to stop her, I stand, but hesitate. Although he’d be able to see and hear me whilst I am in my Human form, there’s no way he’d be able to see and hear me like this. So, I stop in my tracks and watch as Matsuda looks at the black book in Misa’s grip with wide eyes. He knows exactly what it is, and what it can do.

“Misa,” Matsuda stammers out. “How do you have this? We locked the Death Note away.”

Misa smiles, crouching down in front of him. “You’ll see. All you have to do is touch it.”

“You’re the Second Kira. You knew all along.”

“No.” She holds the notebook out. “Trust me, Matsu. We’ll explain everything. I promise.”

“‘We’?” Matsuda hesitates, but ultimately takes the notebook from her, closing his eyes in fear of what he might see. Reopening them, his gaze lands on me. “A-A Shinigami.”

“It’s not just any Shinigami; it’s Light.”

“There’s no way. Users of the Death Note can’t go to heaven or hell or anything like that, and I’m pretty sure they can’t become Shinigami.”

I chuckle, my voice rasping. “You’d be right in any other circumstance, Matsuda, but not in this one.”

Misa looks over her shoulder and frowns at me. “I don’t like you in this form. Change back.”

Rolling my eyes, I force my Shinigami form away. From the corner of my eye, I can see my reflection in the mirror as it occurs. Beginning at my head, my Shinigami form disintegrates into what appears to be shining sand and falls to the ground, leaving behind my Human form with charcoal angel wings. The sand at my feet swirls around for a moment before flying out through the window, disappearing into the night.

Matsuda’s eyes widen and he staggers to his feet, dropping the Death Note into Misa’s hands. “L-Light? Is it really you?”

I smirk. “Yes, Matsuda. It’s me.”

“Hey, Light,” Ryuk calls, popping up in the darkest corner of the room. “I found Mikami. He’s kind of in a nuthouse though. What should we do?”

“Ryuk, get him out of there. Alright? You should have a Human form too.”

“Of course I do.”

Right before my eyes, Ryuk’s Shinigami form disintegrates into shining sand. Misa and Matsuda let out cries of shock as a male appears where Ryuk was standing. The similarity between him and L is uncanny, but Ryuk looks much more looked after. His almost black eyes smile at me instead of L’s distrustful and suspicious eyes; the unruly mess of black hair L had is instead a short, black style on top of Ryuk’s head; and the baggy clothes L always wore are replaced with a pair of black skinny jeans, combat boots, and a black shirt with ‘Nirvana’ scrawled across it.

“Ryuzaki?!” Misa and Matsuda cry simultaneously. Their brown eyes are wide with disbelief and shock.

Ryuk huffs, glaring at the Humans. “Nope.”

I look over at them and roll my eyes. “That’s Ryuk’s Human form. Why he looks like L, I have no idea.”


	3. 03 • The Return of Kira

Mikami is currently rocking back and forth on the ground, obviously overwhelmed at the sight of two Shinigami, and without any memories. When Mikami game up ownership of the Death Note, he was left with the ability to see the Shinigami in the Human Realm, and see those Humans who had the Shinigami Eyes. He was diagnosed with a ‘hallucinogenic disorder’ due to, get this, ‘the trauma of his childhood, and having witnessed the death of the serial murderer, Kira, whom he worshipped’.

“Can someone hand him a Death Note?” Matsuda exclaims. “His staring is making me uncomfortable, and it’s not even directed at me.”

I look over at my former God of Death. “Ryuk, would you do the honours?”

Ryuk snickers evilly. “Of course.”

He gives Mikami his second Death Note - Gelus’ notebook that Mikami used before - and steps back, watching as the Human’s eyes flash red and a silent scream leaves his parted lips. His head falls forward a moment later and he lets out harsh breaths, trying to work his mind around what has happened in the past few days. Moments later, Mikami looks directly at me with his Shinigami Eyes.

“God,” Mikami murmurs. “You’re different. You’re not alive anymore. You’re a Shinigami, aren’t you?”

I smirk at him, nodding. “I was offered the choice to become a Shinigami due to the amount of Humans I killed during my years as a user of the Death Note; my years of being Kira.”

“You have become a true god, God.”

“Not the one I planned for, but a god nonetheless.”

“Are you still planning on being the god of this dark age?”

“I wouldn’t have returned if I did not plan on ruling this world I have created.” I look around at the Humans and Ryuk. “Now, it’s time to get to work. We’ve missed quite a few hundred killings since Near and Mello appeared in the picture. It’s time to get back to work, don’t you agree?”

Mikami and Misa nod, grinning at me, but Matsuda is hesitant to agree. In his eyes, there is a conflict I know all too well. He knows that killing the criminals is something that has to be done no matter what the cost, but he also wants to go about it the right way and not get involved with Kira, the Second Kira, and the Third Kira. He squeezes his eyes shut and presses the heels of his palms to his eyes, biting his bottom lip.

“Matsuda,” I call softly, crouching down in front of him. “I know you want to help us, and I know that you feel obligated to turn us all in. You can walk away now and you won’t be involved. I promise. It’s up to you now.”

Matsuda shakes his head vehemently. “I’m not abandoning you when you need me most.”

“Very well.” I pull out Rem’s Death Note from my back pocket and hold it out to him. “Matsuda, how would you like to become the Fourth Kira?”

He takes the notebook with only a moment’s hesitation, and a smirk appears on my face. This is still going exactly to plan, and there is not much more to do than resuming killing any and all criminals in this world. It doesn’t take much to find all the criminals that have come out of hiding since the news of my death - of Kira’s death - became public knowledge. There have been murder sprees and thieveries all around the world, and all of that is about to come to a standstill once again.

Misa and Mikami greedily hog the computer, scribbling down names without pause. Matsuda picks up the remote and turns the tv on, revealing a headline talking about the recent outbreak of crime due to the demise of Kira and his followers. Picking up a pen, he holds it to a page of the Death Note, either hesitating or waiting for a picture of the perpetrator to appear on the screen. Ryuk, who has reverted back to his Shinigami form, is reclining on the bed, munching on apples, and not giving a damn about all the killing going on around him.

Picturing those who thwarted my plans while I was alive, I write down their names. Nate River. Mihael Keehl. Mail Jeevas. They’re all going to die, and there is no hesitation as my pen scrawls their names across a page of my Death Note. Screams erupt from outside as the sun begins to rise, shining light onto the dead bodies of criminals littering the streets of the Kanto Region. At the sound, Matsuda looks out the glass door with hardened eyes, his grip tight on his pen.

“Matsu,” Misa sing-songs, skipping over to him and draping her arms over his shoulders. “It’s alright. You did the right thing.”

Matsuda grimaces. “I just killed people, and I am somehow alright with that.”

“Users of Death Notes become possessed by the Shinigami who owns the Death Note,” I inform, looking over at the male. “That is Rem’s notebook, and she wasn’t exactly one to bat an eye at the Death of a few thousand Humans.”

At the mention of Rem, Misa turns to me with tearful eyes. “Rem’s dead?”

“L was going to kill you, and she, in response, killed him. She died because she saved a Human who she loved. You have the remainder of her lifespan, and you will live for quite a while.”

“Then, let me make the Eye deal with you, Light.”

My eyes glow red as I look just above her head, her name and the remainder of her life floating just above it. Rem had a significant amount of life left, and that is shown by the decades that have been added to Misa’s lifespan. Allowing Misa to have Shinigami Eyes again would be an extra bonus, and that would, in turn, would help force the hands of those who oppose Kira.

“Very well, Misa,” I say, turning back to my Death Note and continuing to write names and causes of death. “You can have the Eyes again, but only because you have a significant amount of life left. You dying would place quite a large hole in my plans.”

“Misa is not an object, Light!” Matsuda exclaims, launching to his feet and stalking over to me, murder alight in his eyes.

“Matsu, it’s alright,” Misa says, rushing over and clinging to his arm. “I told Light he could use me, and I was only using him in return to learn more about the Kira case so I could stay ahead of you.”

By the time the sun has risen a decent height into the sky, the world is beginning to panic once again at the ‘apparent’ return of Kira. News reporters are raving like mad. Some are afraid, and some are grinning madly. The people who are being interviewed about the bodies being found are saying that they are glad someone is riding this world of criminals once again, and that they hope that Kira has returned.


	4. 04 • Shinigami

Not looking at the TV a second time, I roll my shoulders and my wings rip out of my skin, covering the bright room in an aura of darkness and death. The four beings in the room don’t question where I am going, but Ryuk does give me a strange look before I dive from the window in broad daylight. With my being in Human form, the Humans can see me, and their cries of shock and fear are enough to tell me that they saw me leap from a window.

Flying low enough for the cameras to catch sight of my face, I fly to Kiyomi’s. She is the one I can trust with spreading the word of Kira. Ignoring the uproar of those beneath me, I reach her home in a matter of minutes, landing outside the front door. Raising my hand, I am about to knock when the door swings inward and Kiyomi rushes out, running straight into me and stumbling backwards.

“What the hell, asshole?” Kiyomi snarls, glaring up at me with ferocious eyes. They widen in shock when she recognises me. “Light? You’re dead! Your body is in the morgue! They asked me to come make sure it was you!”

I shrug. “It was me, but can’t you see that there’s something different about the me you’re seeing right now?”

“You have red eyes and wings. So, what are you now? You sure aren’t dead.”

“I’m a Shinigami; A God of Death, and I need to ask you a favour.”

Her eyes glisten with interest, her lips curving into a smirk. “Anything for Kira.”

**•••**

Mikami turns the tv on and grins at the news headline: ‘The Return of Kira’. Misa giggles beside me and shuffles closer to a smiling Matsuda. Ryuk, in his Human form, takes a bite out of an apple and lounges on the floor, staring at the TV with an amused expression. Photos of myself, Misa and Mikami appear on the screen, and an amused snort sounds from the God of Death on the floor.

“What began several years ago when seventeen-year-old Light Yagami gained possession of a ‘Death Note’ has continued to this day,” Kiyomi Takada informs, a smile plastered on her face. “I have an exclusive interview with Kira himself, and those in his inner circle are revealed. Here is what Kira had to say.”

I show up on the screen, my giant charcoal angel wings draped behind me, and Kiyomi stands beside me, smiling. Mikami lets out a laugh and turns the volume up, showing the remainder of his sanity - or lack thereof. Ryuk looks at me out the corner of his eye before returning his gaze to the screen, obviously surprised that I would reveal myself, and the others in this room, to those who oppress Kira and fight against him - me.

_“This is Kiyomi Takeda, and I have been able to catch an exclusive interview with Kira himself.” Kiyomi grins at the camera as it zooms out to fit both myself and Kiyomi in the screen. “So, Kira, what do you have to say to the people of the world?”_

_“Please, call me Light,” I say, putting on a facade for the world to see. “I would like to give some insight on the events that have occurred over the past few days. For one, yes, I am Kira. Also, I was shot dead by one of the men in the Japanese Task Force whom I believed to be my ally and friend.”_

Matsuda visibly flinches at the mention of him killing me.

_“That would have been Matsuda, would it not?” Kiyomi inquires._

_I nod my head in reply. “Yes, it was. We sorted everything out, and he is working with me to rid this world of criminals. Along with him, there is my ex-girlfriend Misa Amane, and ‘The Hand of Kira’, as I have called him several times, Teru Mikami. Misa is the Second Kira, whom showed up several years ago, and has been doing many killings under my orders and of her own volition. Mikami is the Third Kira who was doing all of the killings whilst the Task Force and myself were investigating Kira - investigating me.”_

_“I am sure everyone is curious by now, Light, but, these wings you have, would you care to explain them, and how exactly you are alive?”_

_“Of course, and, to do so, I will have to inform you of Shinigami.”_

_“Gods of Death?”_

_“You see, every Death Note has a Shinigami attached to it, and only those who have touched the notebook are able to see the Shinigami, and those who use the Note of course. When I was still alive, as a user of a Death Note, I was accompanied by a God of Death named Ryuk. He is still with me to this day.” I pause and clear my throat. “I died several days ago, and I went to the Shinigami Realm where I was offered to become a Shinigami. Obviously, I accepted the offer. That is both how I am alive, and why I have wings.”_

_Kiyomi stares at me with shock. “Rumour has it that Shinigami are not Human looking, so why is it that you are?”_

_“Shinigami have their normal forms - which are beastly - and they also have Human forms. Humans can only see us without touching the Death Note if we are in our Human forms. If I were to be in my Shinigami form, none except those who have touched my second Death Note would be able to see me.”_

_“I see. Who is it that has hold of your second Death Note?”_

_“Misa has it, and it is crucial that she does. Mikami has the Death Note of a deceased God of Death named Gelus.”_

_“You mentioned that Matsuda is working with you. Does that mean he is a Death Note user as well?”_

_“Yes. He is using the Death Note of a deceased God of Death named Rem.”_

_“Deceased Shinigami? Is that possible?”_

_“It is extremely hard to kill a Shinigami, and there is only one way. Both Gelus and Rem died by saving a Human’s life - the same Human. They loved her, and stopped her from dying when her time was at its end.”_

_“I see.” Kiyomi looks back at the screen. “This concludes our exclusive interview with Light Yagami, known best by the name ‘Kira’ given to him by the people of Japan during his first hundred murders.”_

Everyone visibly relaxes in the room as the interview draws to a close.

“With Yagami’s return, as well as model Misa Amane, and Kira worshipper Teru Mikami, having been revealed as the Second and Third Kira, the era of Kira’s rule is at an all time high. Due to Yagami’s claim of status as a Shinigami, a God of Death, along with his former Shinigami, Ryuk, we do not see this reign of Kira ever coming to an end.”

“This reign is never coming to an end!” Mikami cries, jumping to his feet. “Long live Kira! Long live God!”


	5. 05 • History Repeating Itself

Almost six months have passed since my return to the Human world, and crime rates have dropped dramatically. Ryuk returned to the Shinigami Realm almost a week ago to give Raito some apples, and help with the restoration of the Realm itself. It is yet to be seen if the resurrected belief of Humans in Shinigami is restoring my new home to its former glory, but once Ryuk returns, we will know for sure. Signs have been popping up everywhere that tell of the belief in Kira and Shinigami, and we’ve been stoking and adding fuel to that fire for the past month.

It took a few months for word to fully sink in that I, Kira, have returned and is wiping out criminals left, right and centre without mercy. Misa and Mikami as well as Matsuda have been helping me out too, and it’s a relief to not be the only one completing this task once again. When I first started, I was alone, but then Misa gained Gelus’ Note - gaining the name ‘the Second Kira’ - and began her own killing spree before we joined forces and almost ruled the world. When we were forced to give up possession of our Notes, and even slightly before, Mikami took Gelus’ Note and became the Third Kira.

“Light, we have a problem,” Matsuda calls, drawing me from my thoughts as I stare out the window. “Well, I’m not sure you’d call it a problem, but it’s slightly disturbing.”

I walk over to the monitors covered in security footage and my red eyes instantly see what is upsetting the former police officer. “So, he’s alive again. This is interesting.”

“What is he doing here? He shouldn’t know anything about you!”

“We’re all over the news, and our identities are not secret. If he has been reborn with no memories, seeing the news may have been a trigger for them.”

“God, the detective is in the elevator,” Mikami exclaims, glowing red eyes alight with anger and annoyance. “Should we kill him?”

I shake my head, walking over to the door to Misa’s apartment. “That is not necessary. I will be able to kill him if he makes a move.”

“As you wish.”

Opening the door, I step out and close it behind me as the elevator doors ding and slide open. Familiar distrustful dark eyes glare at me under the mess of black hair on his head. However, in this version of himself, it appears as though he takes care of himself instead of fading away into a shadow. My eyes scan over his straightened form and I lean against the door frame, crossing my arms over my chest. He swallows slightly and that instantly alerts me to the fact that this is not L.

“H-Hi,” he stutters, shifting uncomfortably. “I-I hope I’m not i-intruding.”

Tilting my head to the side, I study him. “Not at all.”

“U-uh... I’m L’s b-brother. His t-twin.”

“He never told me he had a brother.”

“N-No. Of course n-not. We weren’t exactly c-close.”

“Are you a detective like him?”

The doppelganger shakes his head. “N-No. I wasn’t s-smart enough.”

Nodding, I stand up properly, still wary. “So, who are you?”

“M-My name’s actually R-Ryuzaki. That’s why h-he called himself that.”

“That’s a surprise.”

Looking slightly above his head, I see his name and lifespan. He isn’t lying about his name, or being L’s twin. I walk back into the apartment, motioning for him to follow me with a tilt of my head. Swallowing, he hesitantly follows me in, tugging down the ends of his sleeves and not meeting the eyes of anyone in the room. Misa watches him distrustfully for a moment before turning back to her laptop, Mikami’s red Eyes scan over the doppelganger and his eyes widen in disbelief of his identity, and Matsuda smiles hesitantly at Ryuzaki. Darkness lightly blankets the room as Ryuk returns, his Eyes instantly drawn to Ryuzaki.

Ryuk’s form shimmers into the sand-like substance that makes up the Shinigami realm and he shrinks into his Human form, startling Ryuzaki at his appearance. The Human and the Shinigami move towards each other with amazement, and I tilt my head to the side, taking in the strangeness of having two doppelgangers in the same room - and in front of my own eyes. Ryuk and Ryuzaki circle each other, dark eyes taking in the others’ appearance.

“Humans are so interesting,” Ryuk muses, dark eyes flickering over to me. “Another version of L. I never cease to be surprised by Humanity.”

I shrug, sitting on my desk chair. “He is the real Ryuzaki, as you can see.”

“Yes. Very interesting.”

“So, what’s our home look like?”

Ryuk’s Eyes glimmer. “It’s returning to what it looked like thousands of years ago.”

Ryuzaki’s eyes flicker between us, confused. “What happened to the Shinigami realm?”

Anger floods my body and I force my voice to come out even. “It became dilapidated and destroyed because of the Human’s lack of belief in Shinigami. Humans are vicious and destructive, so I expected it to be run down, but not almost non-existent.”

A chuckle sounds and my eyes instantly snap over to the window, taking in the humanoid form shadowed in the faint light. Darkness descends over the apartment and the Humans shudder in fear, standing up alert and eyes trained on the newcomer in our midst. My Eyes scan the form and a huff of amusement leaves me. The candy apple red hair and deep red eyes, and pale face splattered with dark splashes of scales peer out of the darkness, and the long black claw-like fingernails scratch softly against the wall as he grins, baring his serrated teeth.

“Raito,” I greet, eyes still trained on him. “What are you doing in the Human world?”

The Shinigami King smirks. “I came to see how you’re doing, brother, and it looks like you’re doing extremely well. Six months in, and you’ve already embraced your Shinigami being. It usually takes converts decades to accept what they’ve become.”

“Well, I am doing fine.”

“Who’s this?” Raito’s Eyes flicker over to Ryuzaki and his smirk widens. “A doppelganger; a twin brother. Interesting.” His eyes move to Ryuk’s Human form. “They’re so much like you, Ryuk.”

Ryuk shrugs. “Maybe.”

I look between the three males, Eyes taking in everything. Ryuk, Ryuzaki and L, and Raito and myself. We’re all doppelgangers, but just of different Bloodlines. Misa, Mikami and Matsuda grip the edges of their seats and their eyes keep flickering between the four of us, unable to believe what they’re seeing or hearing or thinking; unable to comprehend anything. Sighing, I run my fingers over my face and all tension flees from my body, allowing me to relax on my chair.

History and Fate are having a fun time recreating the past in the present.


	6. 06 • Destined To Be

“The past is repeating itself because you’re still alive,” Raito explains, reclining on Misa’s bed and munching on an apple. “Mmm. Need to take some of these to the Shinigami Realm and plant them. Anyway, for as long as you remain alive, L will be reborn every time the living version of him dies. It may take a while, but he will find his way to you.”

I sigh, writing a name down in my Death Note. “What am I supposed to do about that? Him popping up every few decades is going to be a pain.”

“It’s up to you what you do - kill him, fall in love with him, have him fall in love with you, make him a user of a Death Note. It doesn’t matter what you do, he’ll keep coming back.”

“‘Fall in love with him’? What goes on in your head, Raito?”

“Anything. Everything. Nothing. It’s chaotic in here.”

“I would imagine.”

Ryuzaki trips into the room and his face flushes when he feels our eyes watching him. His dark eyes flicker up to meet my warm brown ones and an embarrassed smile crosses his face. An instinctive smile grows on my own face but I soon force it away and snap my red Eyes to my twin brother from centuries ago. There’s a frown adorning his face, and he can’t hide the sadness in his own red Eyes. That look sends a cold feeling shocking through my system and I jump to my feet.

“That’s what you meant,” I exclaim, my anger rising and causing my body to convulse. “When we were alive back in the Edo Period... I can’t believe you didn’t tell me, Raito!”

My brother shakes, his own anger rising to meet mine. “You think I didn’t want to tell you, Light? Of course I wanted to tell you! But it’s not like I can tell you everything from our life all those decades ago.”

“You actually can, but you’re saying you don’t want to!”

“Your very being would be overcome by the Edo Period, and, what memories you gain from it, you’ll never be able to forget it. Trust me, brother, you don’t want to remember this country when it was war-torn.”

I grip the collar of his button up grey shirt and glare into his ruby red Eyes. “I will not stay by your side if you continue to withhold my own past from me. Keep that in mind,  _brother_.”

Raito goes limp in my grasp and his eyes fade back to their familiar warm brown. “Light, there’s no going back once you remember all you have forgotten. Keep  _that_ in mind, brother.”

Ryuzaki looks between us, dark eyes troubled and tormented. “U-Um, my opinion m-may be not needed, b-but I think L-Light should have his memories b-back. T-They’re his after all.”

My twin brother sighs, raising his hand and pressing the pad of his pointer finger between my eyes and a strange feeling washes over me, memories flooding through my mind and causing a cry of surprise to escape me. Images of a war-torn and poverty stricken Japan bombard me, and I find myself tightly gripping the hand on L and Ryuzaki’s past self. Scenes of stolen moments of happiness in the darkness of night sting my mind and bury themselves into my subconscious, to be used in moments of extreme loss.

Ripping myself away from Raito, I fall to my knees, clutching my head as pain warps my mind and tears a scream from my lungs. Yells fill the room accompanied by thundering footsteps, and then Raito yells out for them to leave me alone. He tells them that one wrong move could shatter my mind forever, and they all stop in their tracks, panicked breathing filling the air. Even Ryuk sounds worried.

The memory of my death slams into me, leaving me breathless and pain encompassing my body. Gritting my teeth, my hands fly to my abdomen as pain majorly erupts there and a strangled cry escapes me as I convulse on the floor. Raito sucks in a sharp breath and I faintly see him crouch down in front of me, his form flickering in my eyes from his present self to his past self, but both terrified for me.

“R-Raito,” I stammer, struggling to speak, speaking to both of them. “Get them out of here.”

Raito’s eyes widen. “Light, it’s better if they’re here.”

“Not right now. Get them out!”

“Alright.”

He herds them out as another scream tears itself from my lungs, the taste of blood lathering my tongue. The entirety of my past life flashes before my eyes - all the pain and hatred; the death and the darkness; the family I had and the friends I made; the friendship between Raito and myself; the love that grew between L and Ryuzaki’s past self and myself. Pain throbs through my entire being and I curl into a ball on the ground, trembling at the sheer magnitude.

“Light,” Raito murmurs, his hand pushing my hair out of my face. “It’s over now. You got what you wanted.”

I look at him with tired eyes. “I remember everything. He was one of us in that life, and, in this one, he tried to kill me. Why?”

“We can’t change it, so it doesn’t matter why they’re different. They just are.”

“Ryuzaki is the same as his past self. Why wasn’t L?”

“We’ll find out. Alright? We’ll go to Hell and find them both. I promise.”

“We’ll take Ryuk and Ryuzaki, right?”

Raito nods in agreement, and, unaware of the dark eyes watching me with disbelief, I collapse back onto the floor. Occasional tremors wrack my body and I flinch at the slight throb of pain that remains from my ordeal. My brother lays down beside me and lets out a shaky breath that conveys how sick and scared he feels from witnessing what just happened, but his warm brown eyes smile at me now that I know the truth of our past - and the truth of the two doppelganger Bloodlines.


	7. 07 • Past Lives and Past Loves

Cursing myself for agreeing to this plan, I straighten my black button up top and my charcoal Wings shift slightly as I move my arms. The heavy weight comforts me in the face of the black abyss that leads us into Hell. Beside me, Ryuk and Raito stand tall in their Human forms, and Ryuzaki clings tightly to my forearm in fear. He’s nothing like his twin brother, and, right now, that’s a bad thing. L wouldn’t hesitate to do what needs to be done, but his twin is hesitant and fearful where he was strong and sure.

Raito dives into the abyss and Ryuk follows after, flipping in mid-air and grinning at me as well as sending Ryuzaki and I a wink. Rolling my eyes, I launch myself off the edge, the doppelganger’s grip tightening on me as his feet leave the ground and we become airborne. Blackness surrounds us as we pass through the barrier, and then, in the faint light, I make out the forms of my friend and my brother. Landing beside them, Ryuzaki sighs in comfort as his feet hit the shale that makes up Hell.

“What are we looking for, Raito?” I ask, red Eyes scanning over the dead souls loitering around. They have no lifespans, but that’s to be expected. “I’d like to get this over and done with as soon as possible.”

Ryuk cackles. “We’re in Hell, Light. This is going to take a while. It’s not like we can summon L and your former lover.”

Raito smirks, looking down at Ryuk. “That’s where you’re wrong, Ryuk. We  _can_ summon them both, but not here. We need to go to the Temple.”

Ryuzaki shudders as a soul brushes against him, and I instinctively pull him closer, narrowing my Eyes at the souls that come too close to any of us. After a small smile, Raito walks off in the direction of the tug in my gut, and the other three of us follow him. Souls move out of our way and dip their heads in reverence at Raito, but look down their noses at Ryuk, myself and Ryuzaki. Actually, they more look at the Human as if he is food, or some sort of pleasure object.

An animalistic snarl works its way from my being and they shrink away, cowering under the dominance and power radiating from me. Raito chuckles and walks up the stairs into the Temple. A swirling mix of colour stands in the centre of the room, and I step toward it, reaching for the threads. Raito’s hand grips my wrist and pulls me away, glaring at the vivacious colours with hatred. Forcing myself to look away, we follow Raito further into the Temple, until we see a black cube sitting on a pedestal.

His fingers wrap around the small object and he closes his eyes, smiling lightly at the thrum of power. “This is what we need, Light.”

Walking over to him, my Eyes scan the seemingly insignificant cube. “How does it work?”

“Just focus on it.”

“If you say so.”

Taking it from him, an electrical current of power shoots through me and I almost drop the cube. Images of L and my past lover flood my mind, and I can’t focus on anything else. A dark light emanates from the cube and everyone in the room backs away from me, eyes pinned on the ethereal forms growing in front of me. One is slouched forward with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his baggy jeans, and the other is dressed in early Western clothing from the early Meiji Period, katana and short sword attached to his left hip.

L and Renji.

As they solidify and their features become visible, Renji’s eyes fly to me and he launches himself forward. Arms wrap around me and his body trembles as he begins to cry. Feeling my own eyes burn with tears, I wrap my own arms around him and hold him tightly, not wanting to let my former lover go again. At my movements, he pulls back and stares at me with slightly shocked eyes. Smiling down at him, I wipe his tears away with my thumb and then cup the side of his face.

“He said you wouldn’t remember me,” Renji says, his voice breaking. “He said you died and were reborn so there was no way you’d remember our life.”

Shooting my twin a quick glare, I look into his deep blue eyes. “For almost twenty-four years I didn’t remember us, Renji. I only remembered yesterday, and I wish I had remembered before.”

“You’re not alive, are you? You became like Ryuk - a Shinigami.”

“The Wings give it away, don’t they?”

He laughs. “I guess they do.”

“Kira,” L says, dragging my eyes from Renji, and forcing the soft expression off my face and converting it into a glare. “It’s nice to see you again. However, I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“L,” I grit out, anger rising within my being. “I wish I could say the same.”

“Ah, so you don’t deny you’re Kira any longer. Very interesting.”

“Save that detective work for someone who gives a damn.”

L’s eyes flicker behind me and meet his twin’s gaze. “Ryuzaki. Light, what are you doing with my brother?”

I roll my eyes. “He came to me.”

Having four individuals who look the same in one room is disorientating, and even Raito is having trouble distinguishing between them all. There’s one way to tell who is who - their clothing: L is wearing his usual baggy white shirt and blue jeans, as well as his worn joggers for a change: Raito is wearing old Western style clothing from the Meiji Period; Ryuzaki is wearing a pair of fitted blue jeans and a grey t-shirt with some strange print on it, with a pair of white converse; and Ryuk is wearing black jeans, boots, and a black t-shirt with ‘Nirvana’ scrawled across it.

Renji’s eyes move to Ryuzaki and he backs away from me, gripping the hilt of his katana. “Light, what is this? Who is he? Why does he look like me?” His eyes move to Ryuk and L. “Why are there two more?”

“Renji,” I murmur, taking his hand. “They’re your doppelgangers. Well, actually, you, L and Ryuzaki are Ryuk’s doppelgangers, considering he’s older than you. It’s just like I am the doppelganger of the Light you knew and loved - and the one that loved you.”

“What you’re saying is that you’re not my Light?”

“I have the memories of our life together all those decades ago, but, no, I am not your Light. I - he died, remember? Right in front of you and Raito.”

“So, you have the memories. Do you...do you have the feelings?”

“Renji.”

“It’s a simple question, Light.”

I close my eyes, letting out a sharp breath. “Yes, I have the feelings. I have everything from my life with you, from my life as a Human with L, and from my life as a Shinigami.”

Renji’s eyes flicker to L and then back to me. “You were with L?”

“Not like I was with you. I became a user of the Death Note and killed criminals with no remorse, and then L joined the Kira case and was put in charge of finding and killing me. He knew all along I was Kira, but he just didn’t have any proof. He and I did become friends while I had given up the Death Note for a short period of time, and that made it hard for me once I regained my memories of being Kira. Another Shinigami, Rem, killed him when he tried to kill my fake girlfriend, Misa, and she died as well. Then came Near and Mellow. That brought Mikami into the Kira mess, and they had an elaborate plan that ended up catching me after six years. It ended with me being killed by someone I trusted, but that’s all over now. He’s currently a Death Note user, and is helping me, Misa and Mikami clean up this world once and for all.”

“You’ve been through a lot, Light, and I understand all of it. I went through something similar back when I was alive. Do you remember that?”

“Yes.”

“How couldn’t you? I got you killed.”


	8. 08 • Remembrance

I remember when Ryuk first told me about the Shinigami Eye deal all those years ago. It was back when L had FBI agents following all suspects in the Kira Investigation, and I was being tailed by Ray Penber, whom I ended up killing later - after getting what I wanted from him. It was the day that Ryuk told me I was being followed by him.

_“Light.”_

_I turn away from the window to face Ryuk._

_“I’m gonna let you in on a little secret. What makes a Shinigami and a Human who has a Death Note different? Well, there are two things.” He raises two fingers. “And why do Shinigami have to write the names of Humans in their Death Notes? You got any ideas?”_

_“Of course not. Why would I know that?” I walk over to my desk and sit down. “You know, you sure are talkative today.”_

_“It’s because we are able to take Human life spans for ourselves.”_

_“Huh? Wait. What do you mean by that?”_

_“Let’s say you have a Human that is due to live until the age of 60, and a God of Death wrote that this person would die at 40, 60 minus 40 is 20. Now those 20 years taken from someone in the Human world are added to that God of Death’s life.”_

_“Huh.”_

_“So, that means, as long as we don’t slack off, even if someone was to shoot us in the head, or stab us in the heart with a knife, a God of Death cannot die. On the other hand, no matter how many names you write in your death note, your lifespan will not increase. That is the first difference between Gods of Death and Humans who possess a Death Note.”_

_“That’s something about Shinigami I haven’t heard before. Pretty interesting stuff.”_

_He grins. “The second difference will probably be of greater interest to you. Though this has less to do with lengthening life, and more to do with cutting it short.”_

_My head snaps up and I look at him with slightly widened eyes. “What do you mean ‘cutting it short’?”_

_“Shinigami can tell what a person’s name is by just looking at their face. We know instantly, and do you have any idea why? Because through a Shinigami’s eyes a Human’s name can be seen above their head. Not only that, we see their lifespan as well.”_

_“Their name and...lifespan?”_

_“That’s right. I am able to see your name and lifespan right now. If I converted that to Human time, I could tell you how many years you’ve got left, but there’s no way I’d ever tell you that. I may have a big mouth, but even I wouldn’t go that far.” He cackles. “Shinigami never have to worry that they won’t be able to kill a person just because they don’t know their name, and everytime we do take a life, we always know exactly how many years we’re going to receive. Our eyes just aren’t the same, and that is the difference between you and I.”_

_I let out a shaky breath of disbelief._

_“However, if a Shinigami drops his Death Note and a Human picks it up, he can grant the Human the Eyes of a Shinigami.”_

_I jerk upright and stare at Ryuk in shock._

_“But only if a deal is made. One that’s been with us since ancient times.”_

_“And what’s the deal?”_

_“The price for having a Shinigami’s Eyes is...is half of that person’s remaining lifespan. That’s all it is._

_“Half of my remaining lifespan..?”_

_“Yeah. In other words, if you were supposed to live another 50 years it’ll be 25. If it was one more year, then 6 months.”_

_“I see.” Hair fills my vision as I lower my head slightly, and calm fills me. “Since you’ve made it clear you’re not on anyone’s side, and won’t help me out, you won’t just give me the names of the people I wanted to kill. Basically you’re saying that I can’t simply borrow your powers, I’d have to pay for them.”_

_“That’s right. It’s a key part of the Code that all Shinigami are bound by. I’ll say this once more, give me half your remaining lifespan, and I’ll give you the Shinigami Eyes.”_

_I smirk. “If I agree, I’ll be able to know everyone’s name just by looking at them. If I had that power the Death Note would only be easier to use.”_

_“So, what’ll it be, Light? Is it a deal?”_

_“So, the price for receiving the Eyes of a Shinigami is no more than half of my remaining lifespan? That’s it right?”_

_“Yes. Well then, do we have a deal or not?”_

_“Ryuk, this deal is out of the question.”_

_“Huh?”_

_I cross my arms over my chest. “Let’s get this straight. My idea is to create and ideal new world free from evil and all criminals, and I intend to reign as a god in that world for a very long time.” I turn on my chair so I am facing my desk, and close my eyes. “I might consider the deal if it lengthened my life, but not if I die sooner. I figured you of all people should I know I wouldn’t take this deal.”_

_“Yeah. I still felt that you should know the deal existed just in case. Anyway, I’ve done my part. I don’t need you complaining that I didn’t tell you this earlier on._

_“This is what you call ‘telling me early on’? Don’t you think you’re a little late? I don’t see why you couldn’t have told me this when we met.” I face Ryuk. “Or better yet, you could have simply included it in the instructions for the Death Note.”_

_“Uh, good point.”_

_I stand up and turn off my light before walking over to my bed, Death Note in hand. “Well? You sure there’s nothing else you want to tell me ahead of time?” I lay back on my bed with my hands folded behind my head and close my eyes. “Shinigami?”_

_Ryuk faces me. “No. Nothing else.”_

_“Really? That’s too bad.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“You know, Ryuk, I might have seriously considered the deal if you’d offered me...Wings instead of Eyes.” I open my eyes and look up at him. “Just the idea of flying around freely in the sky sounds very god-like. After all-” I sit up. “-it’s been mankind’s dream since antiquity to be able to fly.”_

_“You’d stand out if you sprouted Wings and flew around. Not to mention, the police would have no trouble finding you.”_

_I huff in amusement and look at the ground in front of me. “I was only joking.” I pick up the Death Note. “Anyway, if I keep bargaining for Eyes and Wings and whatever else, the next thing you know I’m going to end up becoming a real Shinigami.” I turn my head slightly and close my eyes briefly. “Though, who knows, I bet that could be pretty interesting.”_

_“I wouldn’t worry. Even without the Eyes and the Wings, you’re already a worthy Shinigami.” His eyes saden slightly. “The Shinigami Realm is slowly rotting. We lead meaningless and empty lives, and the only reason we still take Human lives is because we’re afraid to die ourselves. The truth of the matter is that we no longer even know why we exist. In fact, I doubt there’s any reason for our existence at all.”_

_I look at him._

_“What I’m saying is, compared to that, you’re becoming a much more impressive Shinigami.”_

_I huff in amusement and look down again, closing my eyes. “I don’t know about that. I mean, from what you’re telling me, it sounds like I’m doing a lot more work than they are. Look.” I look at Ryuk with dull eyes. “I don’t want to be compared to a Shinigami. I’m a Human using this Death Note to make this world a better place for other Humans.” I flick open the Death Note and leaf through it. “But, I wouldn’t necessarily say that the Shinigami Realm is meaningless to Humans either.”_

_Ryuk jerks in shock. “Huh? Why do you say that?”_

_“Well, just think about it.” I look at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Whenever a Shinigami like you comes to the Human world once every hundred, no, more like every thousand years, the Human world changes dramatically. The existence of the Shinigami Realm is extremely significant.”_

_“Really?”_

_“You told me just now that the Shinigami Realm is slowly rotting, right? Well, when you return from this world, why not use what you’ve learned here to try and change it for the better?”_

_“Well, Light, I’m not sure why I never noticed this until now, but, you’re quite the positive thinker.”_

_“Yeah, of course I am. That’s why I’m using the Death Note to make a better world. You have to be a positive thinker to attempt something like this.”_

Now that I am a Shinigami, I fully understand what Ryuk was saying that night.


End file.
